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Nitrogen heterocycles are a class of organic compounds with extremely versatile functionality. Imidines, HN[C(NH)R]2, are a rare class of heterocycles related to imides, HN[C(O)R]2, in which the O atoms of the carbonyl groups are replaced by N—H groups. The useful synthesis of the imidine compounds succinimidine and glutarimidine, as well as their partially hydrolyzed imino–imide congeners, was first described in the mid‐1950s, though structural characterization is presented for the first time in this article. In the solid state, these structures are different from the proposed imidine form: succinimidine crystallizes as an imino–amine, 2‐imino‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrrol‐5‐amine, C4H7N2 (1), glutarimidine as 6‐imino‐3,4,5,6‐tetrahydropyridin‐2‐amine methanol monosolvate, C5H9N3·CH3OH (2), and the corresponding hydrolyzed imino–imide compounds as amino–amides 5‐amino‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrrol‐2‐one, C4H6N2O (3), and 6‐amino‐4,5‐dihydropyridin‐2(3H)‐one, C5H8N2O (4). Imidine 1 was also determined as the hydrochloride salt solvate 5‐amino‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrrol‐2‐iminium chloride–2‐imino‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyrrol‐5‐amine–water (1/1/1), C4H8N3+·Cl−·C4H7N3·H2O (1·HCl). As such, 1 and 2 show alternating short and long C—N bonds across the molecule, revealing distinct imino (C=NH) and amine (C—NH2) groups throughout the C—N backbone. These structures provide definitive evidence for the predominant imino–amine tautomer in the solid state, which serves to enrich the previously proposed imidine‐focused structures that have appeared in organic chemistry textbooks since the discovery of this class of compounds in 1883. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National University's Master of Science in Educational Counseling underwent a revision in 2022 utilizing the approach of deriving program learning outcomes directly from the California Teaching Commission standards for school counselors. The program is offered solely in an online format. This study was undertaken to assess the program in terms of student self-assessment of teaching and learning both before and after the program revision to align with the professional standards. Data were collected from student end-ofcourse self-assessment questionnaires, revealing a statistically significant difference between the pre-realignment group (Group 1) and the post-realignment group (Group 2) in student perceptions of learning and teaching. These findings suggest that the revised, standards-aligned program may be more effective in enhancing student educational experiences. A Mann-Whitney U test was also conducted to evaluate whether students' cohort and curriculum differed by students' perception of teaching. The results indicated that students taking courses in the revised curriculum had significantly better perceptions of teaching than students who took courses using the previous curriculum, z = 5.70, p < .001. A Mann-Whitney U test was also conducted to evaluate whether students' cohort and curriculum differed by students' perception of learning. The results indicated that students taking courses in the revised curriculum had significantly greater perception of learning than students who took courses using the previous curriculum, z = 6.00, p < .001. Future research could explore the long-term impact of standards-aligned curricula on graduates' career readiness and professional success, further validating this approach to curriculum development. Additionally, investigating alternative assessment methods to capture more nuanced data on student learning outcomes and teaching effectiveness would enhance the validity of future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study examined the relationship among foreign language enjoyment (FLE), second language L2 grit, online learning self-efficacy (OLSE), and online learning engagement among Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. The study involved 578 Iranian EFL learners who completed self-report measures of the four constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were employed to confirm the validity of the scales and test the hypothesized model. The findings indicate that FLE positively affects online learning engagement and OLSE positively influences online learning engagement. Additionally, the study found that online self-efficacy mediates the relationship between L2 grit and online learning engagement. These results highlight the importance of FLE and OLSE in promoting online learning engagement, and the mediating role of online self-efficacy in the interplay between L2 grit and online learning engagement. This research sheds more light on the understanding of the factors that influence online learning engagement among EFL learners and has important implications for both theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores strategic hybridization in Jeffrey Lau's four films, which reinterpret the classic Journey to the West, and analyses Hong Kong-mainland film co-productions from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s. Adopting a media industries perspective, it examines how strategic hybridization navigates economic pressures and policy environments influencing production decisions, creative choices, and industrial imperatives. The study illustrates that strategic hybridization is not merely a consequence of co-production but a deliberate strategy reflecting the collaborative dynamics between Hong Kong and the mainland, contributing to an increasingly integrated and mainland-centric co-production model. By analyzing strategic decisions across industrial and production dimensions, the article underscores the impact of policy interventions, cross-cultural collaboration, and financial factors in shaping co-production models. The evolution of co-productions is further demonstrated through a detailed look at Lau's films, suggesting that strategic hybridization serves as a set of adaptive strategies fostering a symbiotic, albeit mainland-centric, relationship between the two film industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda is the improvement of vocational education and training at international and national levels, achieving, among other things, the internationalization of such education. To meet this objective, it is necessary to improve linguistic competence in English as L2 of students undergoing vocational training. The purpose of this research is to analyze the influence of affective variables on the level of self-efficacy of English linguistic competence (L2) in early childhood education vocational education and training. Seventy-six students (M = 20.82; SD =2.30) in higher vocational education in this domain, with an average B1 level proficiency (according to CEFR) were selected and administered the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the English Willingness to Communicate Questionnaire (WTC), the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB), and an ad hoc questionnaire on selfefficacy in English language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, reading comprehension, and English language in general). The results indicate that anxiety, willingness to communicate in English, and attitude/motivation toward English predict students' self-efficacy in their level of English language proficiency (L2). Anxiety has a negative influence, explaining the low 15.6 percent of self-efficacy, and willingness to communicate and attitude have a positive influence explaining the 23 and 22.7 percent of self-efficacy, respectively. The practical educational implications, aimed at methodological proposals to improve the level of linguistic competence in English as L2 in vocational training, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc finger-homeodomain transcription factors (ZF-HDs) are pivotal in regulating plant growth, development, and diverse stress responses. In this study, we found 8 ZF-HD genes in barley genome. Theses eight HvZF-HD genes were located on five chromosomes, and classified into ZHD and MIF subfamily. The collinearity, gene structure, conserved motif, and cis-elements of HvZF-HD genes were also analyzed. Real-time PCR results suggested that the expression of HvZF-HD4, HvZF-HD6, HvZF-HD7 and HvZF-HD8 were up-regulated after hormones (ABA, GA3 and MeJA) or PEG treatments, especially HvZF-HD6 was significantly induced. These results provide useful information of ZF-HD genes to future study aimed at barley breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Accurate recognition of endoscopic instruments facilitates quantitative evaluation and quality control of endoscopic procedures. However, no relevant research has been reported. In this study, we aimed to develop a computer-assisted system, EndoAdd, for automated endoscopic surgical video analysis based on our dataset of endoscopic instrument images. Methods: Large training and validation datasets containing 45,143 images of 10 different endoscopic instruments and a test dataset of 18,375 images collected from several medical centers were used in this research. Annotated image frames were used to train the state-of-the-art object detection model, YOLO-v5, to identify the instruments. Based on the frame-level prediction results, we further developed a hidden Markov model to perform video analysis and generate heatmaps to summarize the videos. Results: EndoAdd achieved high accuracy (>97%) on the test dataset for all 10 endoscopic instrument types. The mean average accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score were 99.1%, 92.0%, 88.8%, and 89.3%, respectively. The area under the curve values exceeded 0.94 for all instrument types. Heatmaps of endoscopic procedures were generated for both retrospective and real-time analyses. Conclusions: We successfully developed an automated endoscopic video analysis system, EndoAdd, which supports retrospective assessment and real-time monitoring. It can be used for data analysis and quality control of endoscopic procedures in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phone dependence refers to the excessive use of mobile phones by individuals, which may cause problems in study, work and life. We compared differences in mobile phone dependence among Chinese and Czech university students, and explore the relationship between mobile phone dependence and academic achievement among them in this paper. The subjects of this study included 358 Chinese university students and 282 Czech university students who was recruited during March to April 2022. We collected data through online questionnaires, using the Short Version of the Smartphone Dependence Scale (SAS-SV) to assess the level of students' mobile phone dependence and the Academic Achievement Questionnaire (AAQ) to assess the level of students' academic achievement. The results show that for the level of mobile phone dependence are negatively correlated with the scores of various dimensions of academic achievement and the total score of academic achievement, among them, Chinese students have more significant effect in the relationship between mobile phone dependence and study performance, moreover, the correlations between the three sub-factors of academic achievement in Chinese students were stronger. It can be concluded that mobile phone dependence may lead to lower study performance, more difficulty in handling study demands, and lower social adaptation, or lower academic achievement may also lead to more severe mobile phone dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MOOC attrition rates have become a research hotspot in open and online education, requiring researchers to pinpoint psychological, technological, pedagogical, and technical factors that could mitigate this problem. For this aim, the current study applied a tri-phenomenon approach to explore language learners' perceptions of support coupled with the moderation role of their motivation plays in shaping their learning approaches to MOOC. To do so, 428 language learners who completed their online language course on the Iranian MOOC platform answered the study survey before getting their course certificate. An analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that MOOC instructional and peer support were positively correlated with learners' deep approach while negatively correlated with the surface one. Although technical support was provided in this instance, it did not contribute to shaping language learners' motivation and deep approach. Moreover, language learners who attended MOOCs to learn language intrinsically perceived more instructional support, whereas language learners who joined these courses to pass some obligations or get course certificates perceived greater peer support that could help them pass such criteria and shape their deep approach to MOOC. Further, both types of motivation significantly mediate learners' instructional and peer support within their deep language learning approach in MOOC. As a result of these findings, both theoretical and practical contributions have been reported in the study to lead MOOCs' enrolment to have a deep approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Natural plant-based medicines have gained popularity recently as a major source of inventive, risk-free, and more potent secondary bioactive compounds with medicinal potential. Catharanthus ovalis is a perennial shrub containing various indole alkaloids cultivated extensively for local medical purposes. Methods: This research is conducted to identify the phytocompounds present in the leaves of C. ovalis and its central and peripheral analgesic, thrombolytic, and membrane-stabilizing activities through tail immersion, acetic acid-induced writhing, human blood clot lysis, and erythrocyte lysis by heat and hypotonic solution methods, respectively. Results and discussion: A total of 39 compounds were identified using GC-MS/MS techniques, including hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (56.749%), methyl stearate (29.782%), carvacrol and its TBDMS derivative (12.586%), and 9-octadecenoic acid, methyl ester, (E)-] (9.297%) presented in high quantity. The highest tail immersion latency was observed for the 600 mg/kg extract of C. ovalis crude extract. Both 400 and 600 mg/kg doses of C. ovalis crude extract exhibited prominent peripheral analgesic activity. The maximum thrombolytic effect was observed by DCM soluble fraction extract by inhibiting 54.87% of the clot. However, the aqueous-soluble fraction of this extract manifested an excellent membrane-stabilizing effect by showing 73.98% and 87.51% hemolysis against heat- and hypotonic-induced hemolysis, respectively. Some of the compounds were identified as active agents against different receptors related to these diseases, which supported the findings of in vitro and in vivo tests. Conclusion: Further investigation needs to be conducted to specify and identify the exact mechanism of action of these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural compounds hold promise in the search for cancer therapies due to their unique chemical structures and combinations that may effectively combat cancer while minimizing toxicity and side effects compared to conventional treatments. Silibinin, a natural lignan, has been found to possess strong anticancer activity against several types of human cancers based on emerging research. This study aims to provide an overview of the therapeutic potential of silibinin in the treatment and prevention of cancers. A comprehensive search was conducted using various internet databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect to identify relevant research papers. Silibinin has been shown to exhibit anticancer activity against several types of cancers, including liver, lungs, breast, prostate, colorectal, skin, and bladder cancers. Its multifaceted mechanisms of action contribute to its therapeutic effects. Silibinin exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, antimetastatic, and anti-angiogenic activities, making it a promising candidate for cancer therapy. One of the key mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of silibinin is its ability to modulate multiple signaling pathways involved in cancer development and progression. It can inhibit the activation of various oncogenic pathways, including PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, Wnt/β-catenin, and MAPK pathways, thereby suppressing cancer cell proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest, and promoting apoptosis. Silibinin possesses great potential as an effective treatment agent for cancer. The multifaceted mechanisms of action, favorable safety profile, and potential synergistic effects of silibinin with conventional therapies make it an attractive candidate for further investigation and development as a cancer treatment. However, more extensive clinical studies are necessary to fully establish the efficacy, optimal dosage, and long-term effects of silibinin in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of current research was to examine the correlation between classroom participation and personality development of students in higher education. The population of the study included all social sciences students from 2-universities (Bahauddin Zakariya University &Women University) in Multan district. Two universities were selected from Multan district, only faculty of social sciences was selected, 25 students were selected from each department so total samples of study were 300 students. The questionnaire was designed by using 5-point Likert scale. Data was entered on SPSS sheet after completion of the data collection. Data was analyzed by using diverse statistical techniques, means, SD, correlation, regression, ANOVA and t-test. In data analysis, it was found that participants see classroom participation as enhancing effective management with peers, reflecting prime viewpoint and impact of strong communication skills helps peers on engaging with classmates. Students should participate in workshops or seminars that focus on personal growth including communication skills, emotional intelligence and self-awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zingiber roseum (Roxb.) Roscoe, a perennial herb from the Zingiberaceae family, has a long history of traditional use in the treatment of several ailments including pain, inflammation, fever, cough, arthritis, skin diseases, and liver infections. This study sought to confirm the efficacy of Zingiber roseum (Roxb.) Roscoe leaves methanol extract (ZrlME) as reported in traditional usage by evaluating its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic capabilities. In addition, in silico molecular docking of the metabolites identified in ZrlME was studied to verify the experimental outcomes. ZrlME demonstrated strong dose-dependent analgesic efficacy against all analgesic tests. ZrlME (400 mg/kg) showed higher antiinflammatory activity than the standard in the carrageenan-induced paw edema test model. A significant reduction of rectal temperature (3.97°F↓) was also recorded at the same dose of ZrLME after 24 h of treatment. Seven polyphenolic metabolites were identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD analysis, including 3, 4-dihydroxy benzoic acid, (-) epicatechin, rutin hydrate, p-coumaric acid, trans-ferulic acid, rosmarinic acid, and myricetin. Strong binding affinities (ranges from -5.8 to -8.5 Kcal/mol) between the aforesaid polyphenols and cyclooxygenase-2 were discovered. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) demonstrated that these polyphenols exhibit significant COX-2 inhibitory activity due to their high stability in the COX-2 active site. In computational prediction, the polyphenols were also found to be nontoxic, and a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and hepatoprotective, were observed. The results of this study revealed that ZrlME possesses notable analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the imaging features, lymph node metastasis, and genetic mutations in micropapillary lung adenocarcinoma (imaging with mixed ground‐glass nodules) ≤2 cm, to provide a more precise and refined basis for the selection of lung segment resection. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 162 patients with surgically resected pathologically confirmed cancers ≤2.0 cm in diameter (50 cases of micropapillary mixed ground‐glass nodules [mGGNs], 50 cases of nonmicropapillary mGGNs, and 62 cases of micropapillary SNs [solid nodules]) was performed. mGGNs were classified into five categories according to imaging features. The distribution of these five morphologies in micropapillary with mGGN and nonmicropapillary with mGGN was analyzed. The postoperative pathology and prognosis of lymph node metastasis were also compared between micropapillary mGGNs and micropapillary with SNs. After searching the TCGA database, we demonstrated heterogeneity, high malignancy and high risk of microcapillary lung cancer cancers. Results: Different pathological subtypes of mGGN differed in morphological features (p < 0.05). The rate of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in micropapillary mGGNs than in nonmicropapillary mGGNs. In the TCGA database samples, lactate transmembrane protein activity, collagen transcription score, and fibroblast EMT score were remarkably higher in micropapillary adenocarcinoma. Other pathological subtypes had a better survival prognosis and longer disease‐free survival compared with micropapillary adenocarcinoma. Conclusion: mGGNs ≤2 cm with a micropapillary pattern have a higher risk of lymph node metastasis compared with SNs, and computed tomography (CT) imaging features can assist in their diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a collection of summaries of research studies in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology. The studies cover a wide range of topics, including the use of different endoscopic procedures for diagnosing and treating various conditions. The findings suggest that these procedures can be effective and safe, but more research is needed to confirm their efficacy. The document also includes studies on the impact of pancreatic cancer and diabetes mellitus, as well as the management of liver disease. Overall, the studies provide valuable information for researchers and healthcare professionals in the field. [Extracted from the article]

Hollywood will encounter some cultural policies when its films are imported to the Chinese film market on a revenue-sharing basis. These include a quota system, a censorship system and an uncertain release schedule. However, China has been the fastest growing film market since 2008 and the second largest film market in the world since 2012 (yet the current film industries worldwide are recovering from the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic). Despite the restrictive cultural policies, Hollywood, attracted by the promising profitability, have incorporated more Chinese roles and more plots about China to please the Chinese film regulators and audiences in order to gain access to the lucrative Chinese film market. Furthermore, the depiction of China has become more positive and diverse in recent Hollywood blockbusters compared with the Orientalist stereotypical images in the past. The author intends to examine the reasons behind the phenomenon through analysing the positively changing images of China from early Hollywood films to the recent Hollywood blockbusters. In fact, the positively changing depiction of China illustrates China and the US negotiating the dynamic process of cross-cultural exchange in economic and political terms through compromise, competition and collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Endoscopic resection (ER) has been used to remove submucosal tumors (SMTs) in recent years; however, duodenal ER is associated with high rates of immediate or delayed bleeding and perforation. Whether ER can be recommended for the treatment of duodenal SMTs remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes associated with the ER of duodenal SMTs and to assess possible predictive factors for complications and incomplete resection. Methods: This retrospective study included 141 patients with duodenal SMTs. The therapeutic outcomes from ER and procedure-related complications were analyzed. Results: Of the 141 patients, 78.7% achieved complete resection and nine (6.4%) developed complications. The multivariate analysis suggested that location near the duodenal papilla (P = 0.010) and diameter exceeding 15 mm (P = 0.091) of duodenal SMTs were independent risk factors for complications in ER. Besides, submucosal fibrosis (P = 0.042), location near the duodenal papilla (P = 0.049), and irregular morphology (P = 0.067) were independent risk factors for incomplete resection. Conclusions: ER can be recommended as an effective and minimally invasive treatment for duodenal SMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the impact of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) on the self-efficacy perceptions of high school students in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL), along with their opinions about the ERT process. Framed through a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools: The English Self-Efficacy Scale (E-SES) and semi-structured interviews with 109 high school students selected through purposive sampling. To explore the potential effects of ERT on the students' self-efficacy perceptions, the E-SES was administered before and after the students went through the ERT experience. By employing extreme-case sampling, 10 students were chosen for the semi-structured interviews. The students' views concerning their experience of ERT were elicited through these interviews held at the end of this experience. The findings indicated that the students' self-efficacy perceptions of their such language skills as listening, reading, speaking, and writing and their motivation and expectations in learning English improved in a more positive direction at the end of the ERT process as compared to those before the ERT process. The findings also revealed that the participants' opinions were mostly negative regarding the ERT process. The study found that integrating the online tools into the language learning process enabled information to be reached more easily and created more self-efficacious pupils with the help of acquiring the necessary information without time and place boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial high purity corundum brick, corundum-mullite brick, mullite brick, calcium hexaaluminate brick and calcium hexaaluminate-corundum brick were studied to investigate their reaction state and alkali vapor corrosion mechanism at 1 370 and 1 500 °C. The results show that: (1) served in hot alkali vapor, the high-purity corundum brick has no obvious slag layer but expands dramatically; (2) the corundum-mullite brick shows obvious reactive expansion at 1 370 °C and melting corrosion happens at 1 500 °C; (3) at 1 370 °C, alkali vapor and mullite brick react and form a slag layer without volume effect; when the temperature increases to 1 500 °C, the reaction melting corrosion intensifies; (4) the calcium hexaaluminate brick and the calcium hexaaluminate-corundum brick form a thin slag layer in alkali vapor, and the sample surface absorbs Na+ to form a dense layer with small volume effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a promising endoscopic technique for achalasia. We aimed to establish a regression model and develop a simple nomogram to predict the technical difficulty of POEM in a single center with large volume cases. Methods: 3385 achalasia patients treated with POEM were included, and the technical difficulty was systemically evaluated. All of them were randomized into the training cohort (n = 1693) or internal validation cohort (n = 1692). Then, the prediction model and nomogram were proposed based on multivariate logistic regression analysis in the training cohort and assessed in the validation cohort. Results: Of 3385 patients, technical difficulty happened in 417 (12.32%) cases. In the training stage, six factors were weighted based on the β coefficient from the regression model, including age, disease duration, sigmoid esophagus, mucosal edema, submucosal fibrosis, and tunnel length. The patients were categorized into low-risk (< 0.1), medium-risk (0.1–0.25), and high-risk (> = 0.25) groups. Our score model performed satisfying discrimination with the areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.743 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.701–0.785) and calibration with goodness of fit in the Hosmer–Lemeshow test (P = 0.088) in internal validation. Conclusions: The prediction model and nomogram demonstrated good performance in predicting the technical difficulty of POEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal bowel preparation is a prerequisite for a successful colonoscopy; however, the rate of inadequate bowel preparation remains relatively high. In this study, we establish a smartphone app that assesses patient bowel preparation using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based prediction system trained on labeled photographs of feces in the toilet and evaluate its impact on bowel preparation quality in colonoscopy outpatients. We conduct a prospective, single-masked, multicenter randomized clinical trial, enrolling outpatients who own a smartphone and are scheduled for a colonoscopy. We screen 578 eligible patients and randomize 524 in a 1:1 ratio to the control or AI-driven app group for bowel preparation. The study endpoints are the percentage of patients with adequate bowel preparation and the total BBPS score, compliance with dietary restrictions and purgative instructions, polyp detection rate, and adenoma detection rate (secondary). The prediction system has an accuracy of 95.15%, a specificity of 97.25%, and an area under the curve of 0.98 in the test dataset. In the full analysis set (n = 500), adequate preparation is significantly higher in the AI-driven app group (88.54 vs. 65.59%; P < 0.001). The mean BBPS score is 6.74 ± 1.25 in the AI-driven app group and 5.97 ± 1.81 in the control group (P < 0.001). The rates of compliance with dietary restrictions (93.68 vs. 83.81%, P = 0.001) and purgative instructions (96.05 vs. 84.62%, P < 0.001) are significantly higher in the AI-driven app group, as is the rate of additional purgative intake (26.88 vs. 17.41%, P = 0.011). Thus, our AI-driven smartphone app significantly improves the quality of bowel preparation and patient compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and nuclear-controlled fertility restoration system is a favorable tool for the utilization of heterosis in plant hybrid breeding. Many restorer-of-fertility (Rf) genes have been characterized in various species over the decades, but more detailed work is needed to investigate the fertility restoration mechanism. Here, we identified an alpha subunit of mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPPA) that is involved in the fertility restoration process in Honglian-CMS rice. MPPA is a mitochondrial localized protein and interacted with the RF6 protein encoded by the Rf6. MPPA indirectly interacted with hexokinase 6, namely another partner of RF6, to form a protein complex with the same molecular weight as the mitochondrial F1F0-ATP synthase in processing the CMS transcript. Loss-of-function of MPPA resulted in a defect in pollen fertility, the mppa+/− heterozygotes showed semi-sterility phenotype and the accumulation of CMS-associated protein ORFH79, showing restrained processing of the CMS-associated atp6-OrfH79 in the mutant plant. Taken together, these results threw new light on the process of fertility restoration by investigating the RF6 fertility restoration complex. They also reveal the connections between signal peptide cleavage and the fertility restoration process in Honglian-CMS rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks at Wang Chao's 2018 feature Looking for Rohmer (aka Seeking McCartney) as a cultural product that employs and breaks with the existing notions of queer Sinophone cinema. Utilizing the image of China's globalization project of 'going out', it argues that the film forms part of new Queer Cinemas of the Sinosphere that imagine China as an active participant in a global queer culture, where tourism, consumption, and free distribution are part and parcel of a new ethnonationalist imaginary of global Chineseness. The second half of the article contends that queer independent transnational cinema, which presents a similar view of China as part of the world, works alongside China's globalization project. Significantly, these film productions exhibit the potential for destabilization of the heteronormative family unit, proposing more nuanced investigations of queerness, community building, and national belonging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with a delay-independent output-feedback controller synthesis suppressing the -gain of linear time-delay systems with time-varying delays. We first proposed a continuous-time version of the existing discrete-time ellipsoidal -invariant set and established its existence condition in terms of some linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). This existence condition was further extended to characterizing the -gain of linear time-delay systems with time-varying delays. Because of the delay-independent property of the proposed -invariant set, the -gain analysis does not depend on the choice of delays including their magnitudes and time derivatives. Based on this analysis method, we also constructed an output-feedback controller synthesis for ensuring the -gain of time-delay systems bounded by a performance level . In an equivalent fashion to the -gain analysis method, this controller synthesis is independent of the delays in the sense that the obtained controller coefficients do not depend on the delay characteristics. Finally, numerical results were given to demonstrate the effectiveness and validity of the proposed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blended learning approach (BLA) is a popular trend in higher education because it combines the merits of traditional, face-to-face (FTF) learning, and online learning. This research aims to investigate the effect of implementing the BLA via eLearning on Egyptian undergraduates’ EFL reading and writing achievement compared to their peers’ achievement who only received FTF instruction. The study is quasi- experimental. A total of 55 freshmen at a private university in Egypt were divided into two experimental (study) groups and one control (FTF) group. Students had a reading and writing pre-test before the treatment, and after the treatment, they took a post-test and completed a survey about their satisfaction with the BLA. The results were analyzed using the T-test, post-hoc test, and one-way ANOVA. The study groups outperformed the control group in the post-tests, showing improvement in vocabulary acquisition and usage of language mechanics. Both groups perceived BLA as convenient; they were satisfied with options for eLearning and valued interaction with their peers and instructor. Results revealed that students’ attitudes toward technology, work load, and accessibility to stable connections could affect their satisfaction with BLA. Improving digital infrastructure and enhancing learners’ interaction in the BL environment are recommended to cater for students’ communicative needs that are required for sustainability educational goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxol is a precious and effective anticancer drug. Cerium and methyl jasmonate (MJ) have been shown to increase the yield of taxol in taxus cells. However, the mechanisms of cerium-mediated and MJ-mediated taxol biosynthesis remain unknown. RNA-Seq was applied to study the overall regulation mechanism of cerium and MJ on taxol biosynthesis and analyze the differences among T. mairei cells elicited by Ce3+, Ce4+ and MJ on transcriptional level. Using sequence homology, 179 unigenes were identified as taxol synthesis genes. Under the condition of 100 mM MJ, taxol synthesis genes were up-regulated. Notably, taxol synthesis genes were down-regulated expression at 1 mM Ce3+ and 1 mM Ce4+. Differential expression genes involved in some related functions were analyzed, such as MAPK signaling pathway and plantpathogen interaction. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of nine differentially expressed WRKYs in our data were carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]